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Monday, October 10, 2016

Samanta Mintaka A122 in 65G

I love Samanta's bras. I think they're gorgeous and very luxurious looking. Unfortunately for me, they do not ship directly to the US and I've been having issues finding retailers that do ship to the US that carry them. My options are therefore limited to second hand purchases, and even more limited because very few come up in both my sizes and a style I love. I loved the Mintaka the moment I laid eyes on it. It comes in two different color-ways and a 5 cuts (push-up, full coverage semi-padded, full coverage un-padded, un-padded balconette, and padded balconette). I love the cream color way best but beggars can't be choosers. I wish I had done my research on this style number before I purchased because I would have realized early on it would not have worked and saved myself the heartache. Because of my petite stature, full-coverage anything usually does not work in one way or another simply because of 'too much'-too much cup, too much width, too much wing height etc.

A122 is Samanta's full coverage un-padded style. To quote Samanta's description: This bra is designed for women with larger breasts. It collects the bust to the cleavage. Lifts it giving it strong support and comfort. Hidden supports inside the bra offer additional support.The cups cover 80% of the bust. I would have done better in their un-padded baclonette or padded balconette styles. This is a gorgeous lacey sheer bra. It is a 3 part cup with side sling. The straps are fully detachable which means that you can wear this bra racer-back if you so need. These straps were unfortunately wide-set which was sadly the deal breaker for me. I was lucky enough to receive the matching underwear to this bra however these were a major disappointment. They were almost entirely made out of the band material (which, granted, was super soft) with barely any of the beautiful lace on them. I purchased this bra in an EU 65G, which translates to a UK 30F. I believe this to be the best size for me.



This bra has a lot going on. There's two different kinds of lace on the cups. The lace on the gore is the lace that is on the top of the cups while the straps are embroidered with a completely different floral pattern. On top of all that lace the bow is double layer of ribbon with the top being velvety. The band is purple knit and super soft. It gives an east-west appearance. It is a lot of boob. There's not much immediate projection-it pretty much goes up like this / with the littlest bit of a curve. 



I love this shape, surprisingly. I didn't think I'd love a pointy bra but I do! I believe the reason behind the east-west shape is because the seams on the bottom cup are not located on the apex but to the side. You can see how deep that top part is. This is not only what makes it full coverage but what contributes to the pointy shape too. Let's see if I can explain this. I'll compare it to one of my SM's. The SM has a deeper bottom part and a shorter top part. That means that it's a rounder more minimized shape because there's a flatter angle when the longer bottom part is connected to the shorter part (I hope that makes sense!) while on this bra they are coming together at a sharper angle because the top and bottom are pretty much the same length. Please let me know if this needs to be explained better. I created a diagram which I hope helps with the explaining. The SM is in black and the Mintaka is the purple:


Hopefully you can see what I mean by the SM connecting at a flatter angle then the Mintaka does-picture the SM coming together at a 110 degree angle while the Mintaka comes together at a 90 degree angle (give or take).



I'm not entirely certain if these slings do anything but they weren't uncomfortable. From the side, you can see how far out the bottom seam sits. I find that this bra fits perfectly true to size depth wise with the wires being on the wider side of average. The wires were originally too wide so I bent them in by .25 inches.


The band runs perfectly true to size. The straps are half-adjustable and for the first time I don't have issues with half-adjustable straps not being able to be shortened enough.



I had wrinkling in the bottom of both cups. I assume this is due to the fact that this bra isn't quite immediate projection friendly.


This is why I gave the bra up. Although it looks fine in photos and on paper, for some reason the outer edge of the cups/straps dug into my armpit area and super-chafed. It was very uncomfortable. I hoped that by narrowing the wires a little bit it would help. It did, but not enough to justify keeping this bra.


The tag is super cute. It's the brand name Samanta as a piece of stand-alone embroidery.


The lace on the gore and top of the cups was mirrored but the lace on the bottom parts were not. I don't mind this: it was mirrored where it would be the most noticeable and that's all I care about.


The straps are super cute embroidered flowers.


This is the short-style bottom in a size large (it fits like a medium). Very comfy but super disappointing. I feel like Samanta half-assed this. I would much rather they used the laces from the bra in the brief instead of making it mainly of knit. That feels very lazy to me.

Overall, this bra felt very high quality. I would love to purchase more sets directly from Samanta so that I can pick what style I want instead of waiting to see what comes my way. Unfortunately, their shipping to the States is prohibitively offensive so if anyone knows of any stockists that ship to the US please let me know! Samanta has some gorgeous gorgeous stuff and I envy anyone that gets a chance to try them. I'd love one from each season! I hope I can continue to explore Samanta's options and ranges in the future.  

Sunday, October 2, 2016

Passionata Starlight Plunge in 65H

Ages ago, before I discovered bras that fit, I purchased the Passionata Starlight thong. It looked cute, was bright pink and the best part was it had sparkles! I saw the matching bra but never wanted to pay for it. About a month or so ago I was bored online looking at lingerie as one does when I decided to look up the Passionata Starlight line to see if I was sol or if I could still purchase this bra. I wanted to complete the set as the thong is so comfy. There's two bras in the Starlight line: there's the plunge and then there's a t-back molded cup bra. I figured this plunge would fit me better. Unfortunately, while I could purchase this bra still, it was not available in my ideal size which would be a European 65G (UK 30F). However, for 15 bucks I figured I might as well try the EU 65H (UK 30FF) as one doesn't know until one tries. While this technically fits, all signs point to the EU 65G as being the best fit. So if anyone has one in pink and would like to swap for this one, let me know!

This bra is so pretty. It is a 3 part cup covered with glittery stars and checks. It's a double layer of fabric on the bottom for support while the top part is only one layer. It is not sheer though and hides nipples well. The gore is very low and the very top of it stops before the wire channels do which is an interesting effect not often seen in full-bust lingerie. The wires are on the wider side of average, which I expected from sizing up but it does seem wide for a 30FF in general. The cups are as deep as I expected (luckily!) although this means that I cannot bend the wires inward because then the cups would be too deep. Where I have the most issues with this bra is that it's tall and so full coverage. While the wings, at 4 inches, are not too tall to be uncomfortable, because it's so wide the edges of the cups are right in my armpit and chafe like hell. Not only that, but these cups are the tallest I've ever seen on a bra and not a bralette and they come up right to my shoulders. I'm sure in the next size down this would be less of an issue but I'm still not certain if the cups would ever not eat my armpits. The straps are the cheapest looking part of the bra: they have no decorations so they slip very easily.


Look how tall this stupid bra is. Why? Why is this necessary? I still get a decent shape but a little more east/west then normal because of the wide wires (I think). That means no cleavage which is fine. I can't really wear this under anything but sweaters anyway. The wires are wideset and have a tendency to slip off my shoulders if I'm not careful. The gore also poses issues for me and ultimately is the deal breaker. I could wear the bra on days when I'm not too active but even just lounging around, the gore stabs me. I have no idea why. I've had low gores before and it's not an issue. But this tacks so firmly it actually rubbed me raw over the course of a day. I can slide the wires in their channels to solve this issue a little bit but not enough to make it comfortable.


It was so hard to photograph but on the left side of this picture you can see how red I got at the top of the channel. It was actually rubbed raw and I had a little sore there for a couple of days and couldn't wear most of my bras comfortably.


So here you can begin to see how wide this bra really is. It gives a lovely shape really so I want it to work. I just haven't figured out how to yet. I'd say this bra is shallow to middling on the immediate depth front. My righty has some space under the cup because it's a smidge more projected then lefty.


Here it is folks. How awful is this. My poor armpits. The wide wires don't bug me too much but the damn wire channels are like half an inch longer then the wires. That means that this irritating situation isn't actually necessary. If I can figure out how to shorten the cup/wing without damaging the integrity of the bra I will. Nice uplift though and I can tell that if this wasn't a shape mismatch it would be pretty comfortable. 


The band is relatively true to size and wider in the back than my Ewas. I love the firmness of the band and it's one of the most comfortable parts of this bra.


I think I have average/tall roots but I had a lot of excess space in the tops of the cups that I think most people won't be able to fill. Luckily it lies relatively flat even when laying around.




I so wanted this bra to work. If I get a chance I might try the next size down. Unfortunately, it's just a big ol' shape mis-match. If it was just the wide wires or the tall wings/wide rubby cups or tall cups or gore I'd keep it but since I have issues with pretty much every aspect of this bra except for the depth and the band I know I should pass it on. I'll keep my eye out for the next size down because I'm too stubborn to give up this easily. It is for sale here. I won't discount Passionata styles in the future, especially since I figured out what size would work best for me. The quality looks good for the price and their pieces are so cute. It's a shame this one didn't work.




Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Bra Obsessed Excluxive Ewa Michalak PL Fairytale in 65FF

I know I've been bad about reviews lately. I've been putting this review off for a while for two reasons: recent comments about my preferred fit and the quality. When I posted my review for the BM Tajemniczy Ogród, there were a couple of remarks on Bratabase saying that the bands were too tight and I needed to size up. While I'm sure the users weren't meaning to be rude, that's the way they come off.  While others are entitled to their opinions and I do respect and appreciate others comments and suggestions about the fit of my bras, I prefer a band as tight as possible. My breasts may not be big enough for me to need a band that is as tight as I can comfortable stand it but that is what I prefer. I do not plan on trying a size up in the band unless the bra is known to run small since I am comfortable in this band size and that's all that matters. Members of the bra fit community rail against the +4 way of measuring: if I took those users' advice and sized up to a 32 band that is exactly what I would be doing and I would get absolutely no support. Not only that, but I've had issues with my self esteem forever. Put yourself in my shoes: how do you think you would feel if someone is telling you that there's no way you're a 30 band and you definitely need a 32? I know 32 isn't that big, but that still makes me feel fat and bad about myself. So please, I'm interested in your opinions but if you want to comment about how tight my band is I respectfully ask you to not. Different people like different things and what you find comfortable is what another finds uncomfortable. Thank you to the people on Bratabase who sent me kind messages.

Moving on, this bra is disappointing. I know I said that about my Jezynka, but in that case I was talking about the design and not the quality. I have never been this disappointed in the quality of an Ewa bra before. The band is too big and stretchy and the lace does not match on both cups. Ewa's team has always been so good about matching the lace placement on each cup so that they look the best. Not only that, but this lace has these big flowers on it and there's not a complete one on my bra. You could fit like two on each cup. The issues with the lace make it look very sloppy and cheap. And as if to add insult to injury, the lace on the thong is perfectly mirrored on both sides so I know it's possible. I've looked at others Fairytale's too and none of the lace is mirrored on the cups and that's highly disappointing especially given the price point. However, I did settle and keep this bra. It's a super limited edition from Bra Obsessed (less then 30!) and I know I'd probably never get another one and even if I did the lace would probably not match either. I love the lace-it's so pretty and I like the fact that it is continued on the band. But I want flowers on the cups! That's not that big a request. The band is too big and the thong fits on the generous size. I should have sized down in both the band and thong.

This is the typical Ewa plunge cut which I LOVE. It's beautiful. It gives amazing cleavage and great shape. It's super comfy but the band is too big and rides up. It compromises support a smidge but more importantly I am aware of it throughout the day so it is not as comfortable as it could be. I am willing to overlook all of this since it's purple-silver over the top floral lace. The gore is super low and it's my new favourite style (well, it's a tie between that and the S...and then the SM and the BM are tied for non-padded favourite). I had a devil of a time capturing photos so I apologize for any blurry shots. I gave up after I got close enough. I've rambled enough-onwards!





These are all taken without the pads in. The gore on this model is *super* low-only 1.5 inches! With the pads in I pretty much get touching cleavage. Yeah, I didn't think that was possible without hella quadboob. It's kind of a more pointier cup but I'm okay with that. You can see how the lace is on the cups. It looks cheap and sloppy. The wings are low cut and the straps are very very much clear of my arms. The wires are perfectly narrow and follow my wider root perfectly. An awesome situation! So you can see on the side picture the marks from one of my bras with a tighter and more comfortable band which is like the second major downside to this bra.


Again, if you look closely you can see the marks from a bra that was tighter and didn't ride up. I usually wear this on the second hook of four. Another thing I like about this bra though are the straps. They aren't too wideset and are wide and very pretty. It's totally possible to adjust them over the ribbons-it just requires some elbow grease.




And this is the bra with the pads in. I am not ashamed to say that this is like 80% of the reason why I kept this bra. I have no idea how Ewa works her magic but it's awesome. I tried to capture this in the last photo but I get cleavage with no quad. Like, I get cleavage but instead of bulging out it's flat across. If that makes sense at all. I ordered a new bra in the PL style because it's so nice and comfortable.





Whoever made the thong put the effort in to match the lace on both sides, but for some reason the same care wasn't put into the bra. It's very stretchy. I could have easily sized down in the thong and band size which is what I noticed in the Jezynka. On the bra band, it's one layer of lace and one of mesh. It's an absolutely stunning lace and I do love it which was a big reason why I did decide to keep it. So while I am disappointed majorly with the quality of this bra, it is comfortable and I do wear it on a daily basis. I'm glad I revisited the PL cut as it fits better then my first experience with it. While this bra did give me second guesses as to whether I wanted to invest in another one (like wait and see what others think of new styles first to see if they have similar issues to this one) I have no impulse control. Luckily, the next one has no lace. Let me emphasize here: I have no problems with the quality of the structure or the integrity of the bra. I do have problems with the quality of the lace placement. That's the biggest, most obvious issue with the bra. Even if it fits beautifully, how many people will be willing to spend so much on a bra if it looks sloppy and rushed? Also, the lace isn't attached securely. It ripples and sticks up and impacts the bra's ability to fit under a tighter shirt. Speaking of, let's see how it looks under said tighter shirt:


Very projected and in your face. This review ended up being far longer then I meant it to be so in sum: great fit, very comfy, poor lace placement which is super disappointing. It's almost the perfect princess bra, but it falls a little flat.



Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Ewa Michalak BM Tajemniczy Ogród 65F

I mentioned in a previous review that I had tried all Ewa Michalak styles currently available in my size range except for the SF and the BM. Well, I can cross the BM off that list-all that's left is to try the SF. About two months ago I emailed Jaimie to see what BMs she had in stock/on order. She mentioned the Tajemniczy Ogród, and although I thought it looked like a grandma floral, I did place an order for one. I read a review that said it was comfortable and I liked that it had tulle on the top instead of lace. I thought that that would give a smoother line under clothes (spoiler-it does!). The day after I ordered it I sent Jaimie another email asking if there was any way I could add a thong to my order. I wasn't expecting to be able to since this batch of orders was already in production but Jaimie was able to convince Ewa to make one for me! The only blip in my ordering process was wait time: Jaimie tried something new to prioritize customer orders over stock so she sent in 3 orders, I think. According to the newsletter, Ewa just held on to these orders as they were produced and shipped them all at once at the end instead of as they were completed. So while I should have gotten this bra weeks ago, I didn't receive it until today. This is frustrating but I hope others don't avoid ordering from Jaimie because of Ewa's decision.

When ordering the BM, for whatever reason it is generally suggested to size down. I think this is because it's stretchy? In any case, I decided it was common advice for a reason and I did so. I'm glad I did because this fits perfectly! My biggest gripe (as usual) are the straps are too wideset. The band feels a little tight so I wear it with an extender. The extender also helps to eliminate some of the wrinkling I get in the bottom of the cups. I'm seriously in heaven with the gore/wing/wire width situation of the 65FF and in an ideal world I'd have the depth of a 65FF with the construction of a 65F. The pattern of the bra extends all the way to the back as does the little lacey frill at the bottom. The stretch tulle at the top is simply folded over. BM styles are made with a laminate fabric that I was afraid would be stiff or itchy/uncomfortable. That is not the case. This bra is so comfy I don't want to take it off and the thong is simply adorable. The entire set gives off ballerina/soft/sweet vibes. I also didn't realize how much of my room you could see so I apologize for any mess. I'm trying to figure out a better spot for photos.


Because of the tulle at the top, this bra isn't as supportive as some of my other options. I'm okay with that because I have only one speed most of the time and that's slow so I'm not often in need of mega support. You can kinda see the wrinkling here on lefty. I *love* how low this gore is-only 2 inches! And the uplift is great! I wish the strap bows were a little smaller because I figure they'll show under my tank tops as usual. It's hard to tell but in my size range the BM is a 3 part cup. 


These cups fit perfectly. A 65FF would definitely be too big. Again, I love the low gore, narrow and short wires and short wings a 65F gives me. 


What I love about Ewa's bras is the shape. It's pretty consistent: round but with a subtle peak. Not too much immediate projection but I can handle it. 



The cups/straps are joined together in the same way that the SM bras are.



I wanted to buy the brief originally but I'm firmly pro-leg elastic since the ruffled hem used on this brief would ride up. Luckily for me Jaimie was able to rustle up this thong because it's so cute. I love all the bows and the use of the sheer tulle for the sides and back. I'm not sure if the double layers will hide well under tighter clothes but I think I can put up with that. These are a 38 I think because I heard they ran looser. I'm all over the place in Ewa's underwear: I've tried everything from 36-40. Some of the 38s were too tight, some of the 40s were too big and the 36 oddly fit. I usually order a 40 unless I hear it runs loose since I prefer my underwear to be a little too loose then too tight.

This is such a beautiful girly set and I'm glad I took a risk on it. It's super comfortable and I couldn't ask for a better fit. If you want to get your hands on one, Ewa Michalak is on vacation right now but Jaimie at Bra Obsessed might have some in stock and Zathiya doesn't appear to have any. 

Friday, August 19, 2016

Dreams and Underthings Bralette in 30FF

Yes, another bralette! And this one is my best fit yet. The woman who runs Dreams and Underthings, Laura, also makes bralettes! I've been eagerly awaiting the opening of her Etsy store which is where I bought this from. She has regular and midline bands as well as a lace option. I chose the midline band which sadly doesn't work as well for me as I had hoped (not through any fault of the bralette). You can choose the colours of your bralette, accents and straps/elastics. Before I ordered I got in contact with Laura to ask her three questions: how does the band run, how do the cups run, and can I please get shortened straps. Laura was prompt and courteous in her replies: band runs pretty true to size, if you're between cup sizes definitely size up and yes, she can shorten straps!

So with Laura's advice in mind, I ordered a 30FF. Dreams and Underthings' bralettes are made using UK sizes and some of you may notice that this is a cup size larger then other UK bras I've reviewed. Those were a little too small which was what had prompted my asking how the cups run. I had a lot of fun deciding on what colours I wanted. I ended up with grey for my main colour, navy for the straps/elastics/trims and red as an accent. The fabric is extremely soft and comfortable. I put it on and made a trip out and I forgot I was wearing it. I love the shape and how surprisingly supportive it is.


It is a two-seam triangle cup. It is relatively high coverage but I don't mind. I think this style works best with higher cups: it's more supportive. It gives a relatively east-weast appearance but I don't mind that at all. In fact, that's kind of what I want out of a bralette. A relaxed and not super projected, boobs in your face look. Look at all that lift this bralette manages to give though! The gore doesn't tack which I expected but when I pushed it in the shape didn't change much and I had no quad, making me glad I chose the 30FF. Despite the gore not tacking, my breasts remain very well separated which is perfect for the summer. No more gross boob sweat from them touching all afternoon! The cups are lined in this super soft red fabric which was a lovely surprise and is also rather firm which I suspect is what makes this bralette so sturdy and supportive. This also provides more nipple coverage if that is something that concerns you.



Oh yeah, look at that shape! So round and so lifted. I was so excited to put this bralette on and notice that my boobs stayed in the cups like they're supposed to. I was afraid that they would travel down into the band trying to find room for my projection but this bralette is very well designed in regards to that. The cups are rather wide at 7 inches which is about 1.75 inches wider then I need but it doesn't really bother me too much since the wings are so low and non-irritating. It also doesn't seem to impact shape or support but I wonder if Laura would narrow the cups on my next one-I plan on trying the regular band length next.


Laura went the extra mile and designed her bralettes with my favourite kind of back-the leotard back. I think that this style back just looks so much nicer and more polished and really reflects well on the designer. It's a thoughtful touch that shows she's thinking about the bralette as a whole.


Pushing the gore in shows that I made the right choice in sizing. These colours are the most true to life.


Straps are attached in the front and the back with rings. They are thin but not too stretchy so they aren't too uncomfortable. They are relatively narrow set and out of the way of armpits.

I am incredibly impressed with this bralette from Dreams and Underthings. Laura has worked hard to develop her pattern and grade it-she offers sizes 28C-H, 30B-GG, 32A-G, 34A-FF, 36A-F, 38A-E, 40A-DD. The quality is very good. I love that it's a bralette that's been designed with fuller busts in mind without looking like it's been designed for fuller busts. It is delicate but supportive and well-designed: the cups are lined to add more support as is the gore, the band is relatively wide and the cups are cut with lots of projection. All of these elements are what make it great for medium/larger busts who are otherwise either sized out of s/m/l bralettes or need something with more support or coverage. I would love to see Laura source some pretty funky/quirky prints (like food or animals) as well as the option to purchase some basic/easy additions/substitutions/changes like strap width and cup width in the future but I agree with her decision to focus on fit first and creating an impressive size range. This bralette is an affordable, comfy addition to my wardrobe and I can't wait to try my next one.


Wednesday, August 3, 2016

Freya Just Flew In Padded Longline 30F

Sorry I haven't blogged in a while. I was having camera issues. So I have a backlog of bras to review-I think ten at my last count: both newish bras and bras from last year before I started the blog. So for review today is something I received in a swap for a Freya Piper Longline in a 28FF. The band was too tight on that oh so cute Piper so I swapped it for the Just Flew In in 30F. Neither of these bras have quite worked for me sadly. The Piper stretched to 29.5 or thereabouts which is fine for a regular bra but too constrictive for a longline. Freya is known to run stretchy, which is true to my experience, and this 30F did feel a little loose in the band. However, given the support of a longline band this won't prove to be an issue.

So this bra might be the cutest damn bra I've ever had in my hands. I love all my bras (well, of course. I wouldn't buy them otherwise!) but I need more with actual birds or animals on them. This bra has some kind of abstract plant with 3 different hummingbirds on them! It's a pastel bird wonderland. It is a 3 part foam cup. Nothing I'd really call padding: the foam is rather thin and flexible. There's lace on the 2 cup seams, along the top, and along the seam below the cups. I like the little infinity bows on the shoulder straps. Like my last longline this was not meant to be for several reasons, the main one being the straps. They are extremely wide, which is not too big an issue for me, but they are very slippy. Just adjusting my breasts into the cups loosens the straps an inch or so which is not ideal for me since I often need to adjust my straps very short. Other then the straps the quality seems to be up to the usual Freya standard. Now that my camera's back up I have plenty of photos for you. I just love all the little details in my bras so I get carried away.


So look at the amazing cleavage I get! Very rounded, cakes on a plate look. The straps aren't as tight as I prefer but I'll get into that in detail in a bit. The long line bit has a tendency to scrunch or flip up which is more irritating then uncomfortable. The two seams on the bottom line up between the cups. I kinda wish they had lined up with the first seam so that the lace was a continual line. 



The wires are decently narrow. The gore is of a medium height and on the wider side. To the bottom of the cups, it measures around 3 inches. To the bottom of the band, 4. Like all my other padded cups it gives a soft tack. I used to grumble about this but I wore a bra that had a hard tacking gore the other day and it was so uncomfortable. The straps are delightfully narrow set so they are free of my armpits. The band is long and feels stable despite being kinda stretchy. The cups seem to be rather shallow at the bottom so I get a bit of a wrinkle on my difficult right breast. It's a very round, in your face look.



So here is the biggest issue I have with this little number. I get some bubbling if I tighten the straps as tight as I want them. Despite having a very textured appearance, these are some seriously unstable straps. Just puling them up onto my shoulder loosens them. Which brings me to my second major problem. These cups are so low-cut they're almost scandalous. I scoop and swoop and then have to poke my nipples back in. I'm afraid that with the slippy straps I'll go to move them or whatever, they'll slip, and out will pop my nipple. Not something I want to deal with! As a whole, the stretchy-ish band and low-cut cups coupled with the stretchy straps means that this is not a particularly secure feeling bra. There's a lot of jiggle going on.


The birdy fabric continues all the way around to the back. The front half is lined with some kind of powermesh to make it stronger which makes it more opaque. It's more see-through in the back since it doesn't have that lining. There are 6 hooks and only two rows of eyes which shortens its lifespan. I hate these straps. They're thick and they're ugly and I hate how non-leotard backs look, especially with such industrial straps. 




I love how pretty this bra is and how comfortable it is. However, I am on the fence as to whether I want to keep it or sell it. I like how it looks on me, but the straps are going to cause me issues as are the low-cut cups. I know I probably am not going to feel my best in a bra if I'm constantly worried about if I'm going to jiggle out or not. I might take it on a field test and see how I feel about it after but I know there's no point in keeping a bra just for looks. There is a balcony plunge version but I do believe this is an older model that is sold out so I probably won't be able to get my hands on one. So far I have yet to find my perfect fit in Freya. The padded 28FF/30F's I've tried have all had the bubbling in the cups but I haven't tried a 30G yet. I seem to be in between 30FF and 30G in a lot of brands but in general the 30FF works best for me because of the shorter and lower wires: I'm just always stuck with a little quad. However, this bra is definitely a size small and I would do better in a 30G. That way the cups wouldn't be so low coverage and I'd probably feel far more secure. The quad does show under shirts.